Reversible refrigerator tray construction

ABSTRACT

A CONSTRUCTION FOR MOUNTING ONE OR MORE TRAYS IN A REFRIGERATOR CABINET TO PERMIT REARRANGEMENT THEREOF, WHICH COMPRISES A SUPPORTING RACK WHICH MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CABINET AND REPLACED IN REVERSE POSITION, WHEREBY A TRAY OR TRAYS SUPPORTED BY THE RACK MAY BE REDISPOSED IN A LATERALLY REARRANGED POSITION WITHIN THE CABINET.

Feb; 23, 1971 J. A. BROWN 3,565,504

REVERSIBLE REFRIGERATOR TRAY CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 6. 1969 N VE N TOP James United States Patent 3,565,504 REVERSIBLE REFRIGERATOR TRAY CONSTRUCTION James A. Brown, Elk Grove Village, lll., assignor to Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 6, 1969, Ser. No. 797,086 Int. Cl. A47b 51/00 US. Cl. 312-270 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A construction for mounting one or more trays in a refrigerator cabinet to permit rearrangement thereof, which comprises a. supporting rack which may be removed from the cabinet and replaced in reverse position, whereby a tray or trays supported by the rack may be redisposed in a laterally rearranged position within the cabinet.

My invention relates to the mounting of trays within a cabinet, and is especially concerned, although not so restricted, with the mounting of so-called crisper trays within a refrigerator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The usual arrangement in this art is to provide a crisper tray of a width less than that of the cabinet, with fixed mounting means therefor within the cabinet which restricts the tray to a certain position.

It has been found desirable, however, for the housewife to be able to exercise some choice in positioning the tray or trays, in order to accommodate other objects within the cabinet under different conditions.

BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide reversible means within a cabinet for supporting a tray in offset position relative to the front-rear center line, whereby a tray may selectively be positioned in one position or another, at the choice of the housewife.

Another object is to provide such a construction which is inexpensive to fabricate, utilizing standard materials, and adding little or nothing to the cost of the cabinet as previously constructed.

Still another object is to provide means for supporting several trays of different types or sizes, say one larger and one smaller, so that, by reversal of the mounting means, the trays may likewise be reversely positioned in the cabinet.

My invention may best be accomplished by providing a removable supporting rack or frame comprising a continuous wire member disposable around the inner wall of the cabinet, suitable supports for the purpose being provided on the inner side walls. Fixed to the wire is at least one pair of track members, open at both ends for receiving side flanges of a pan or tray so that, by removing and reversing the rack, the tray may be posititoned variously within the cabinet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings forming a part hereof and illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a frame or rack, de signed to be supported within a cabinet, in combination with a pair of trays of different character;

FIG. 2 is a similar perspective view showing the same combination in reverse position, i.e., with the two trays reversed as compared to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, a portion of the back wall of the cabinet being shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

5 FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a supporting member which may be attached to a cabinet side wall, the latter being shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on a larger scale substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 2, and including fragmentarily a portion of the cabinet wall and tray cover, and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing fragmentarily a portion of the cabinet rear wall in combination with traysupporting means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION My invention contemplates a supporting rack or frame 10 comprising a continuous wire member 12 which may be formed of aluminum or other suitable metal to which are attached, as by spot welding, at least one pair of parallel channel members 15, 15, extending from front to rear within the cabinet (not shown), said channels being positioned to be laterally open toward each other, so as to be able to receive and support side flanges f, f 25 of a receptacle such as crisper tray T or the like.

Channel members 15 (FIGS. 2 and 4) are open at the front and rear extremities thereof, whereby tray T may be slid into the channels from either end of the latter, to be supported thereby.

In the embodiment shown, I provide another and different type of receptacle, in this case a generally similar crisper tray T, said tray being substantially larger than tray T. Tray T is similarly supported on channels 15, 15, the latter being affixed as by spot welding to continuous 35 member 12.

Suitable means is provided on the inner walls of the cabinet for supporting the rack or frame 10. In the embodiment shown, a pair of spaced, inwardly-extending bracket members is secured in a suitable manner to 40 each of the side walls 23 of the cabinet.

The outside channel members 15, of course, rest on brackets 20, and cooperating with said brackets to limit the horizontal movement of frame 10 are depending spaced lugs 25 struck out from channels 15.

On rear wall (FIG. 7) of the cabinet is aflixed a boss-like member 32 which is grooved as at 35 to receive continuous member 12 of the rack, to assist in locating it positively in horizontal position.

It will be seen that my invention permits considerably more flexibility in the arrangement of a receptacle within a cabinet than previously known arrangements. Within the purview of any invention, a single receptacle of any suitable or desired size or character may be provided, in an eccentric or off-center position relative to the frontrear center line of the cabinet.

Obviously, the receptacle may be posititoned on either side of said center line and is readily rearranged by merely withdrawing the frame or rack 10 and replacing it within the cabinet in reverse position, so that the receptacle may then be repositioned on the opposite side of the center line.

Likewise, in the arrangmeent shown in the drawings, I may provide a pair of receptacles of markedly different character or size, and they may similarly be rearranged in position. Needless to say, more than two receptacles may likewise be provided for by varying the number of pairs of supporting channels attached to continuous member 12.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific forms shown or uses mentioned, which are merely exemplary,

3 but intend that my invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a cabinet having side and back walls, with means on said walls for supporting a frame:

(a) a removable tray-supporting frame providing means for eccentrically positioning a tray relative to the front-rear center line of said cabinet,

(b) said tray positioning means comprising (c) a pair of parallel laterally open channels extending forwardly and rearwardly of the cabinet,

(d) said channels being open at their front and rear extremities and defining a space therebetween eccentric relative to the front-rear center line,

(e) said channels being engageable by a tray from either extremity, whereby a tray may be selectively positioned within the cabinet by a reversal of said frame.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a substantially continuous member extending around the cabinet walls with the channels fixed to said member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,178,249 4/1965 Willis et a1. 312-270 3,334,954 8/1967 Kesling 312351 3,339,994 9/1967 Reddig 312351 JAMES T. McCALL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

